Along with Fergal's Fried Rice, this is one of my backup quick dinners for my boys. I usually have cooked pasta in the freezer so all I have to do is remember to defrost the pasta a few hours before dinner. This has the added bonus of reducing the impact of the pasta on our blood sugar because the cooking and cooling process creates 'resistant starch' which our bodies use as fiber - something especially great for gut health.

enough for: 2
takes: 15 minutes
200g (7oz) pasta
4 tablespoons butter
3 handfuls frozen peas
mint small bunch (optional), leaves picked
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and set your timer according to the packet directions.

2. Meanwhile, warm butter in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Add peas and cook for a minute or until the peas are hot. The less cooking the fresher everything will taste.

3. Remove peas from the heat and mash using a stick blender or a fork until you have a chunky saucy puree.

4. When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss into the peas along with the mint and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more lemon, salt and pepper if needed.

Variations

cheesey - serve with lashings of grated parmesan or toss in crumbled feta or goats cheese.

different herbs - replace mint with basil or parsley.

less mess / one pot - cook pasta and drain then make the sauce in the pasta cooking pot.

more fiber / more veg - soften an onion or leek in the butter before adding the peas. Toss in a few handfuls of baby spinach or cooked greens with the cooked pasta.

low-carb - replace some or all of the cooked pasta with spiralized zucchini (courgettes). You could also skip the pasta and serve pea sauce with salmon, chicken or sausages.

more substantial - use more butter, or more pasta or serve with roasted nuts such as pinenuts or almonds.

dairy-free - olive oil instead of butter.

paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) - serve pea sauce with salmon, chicken or sausages.

carnivore - serve the pea sauce with cooked sausages, roast chicken or BBQ lamb chops.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

pasta - keep it in the pantry.

butter – keeps in the fridge for months.

frozen peas - will keep indefinately in the freezer.

mint – use for another meal.

lemons – will keep for a few weeks at room temp or for much longer in the fridge.